Clear view structure for vehicles



Aug 12 1941. A. s. BORBA CLEAR VIEW STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLES Filed Sept. 14, 1938 2 Shets-Sheet 1' INVENTOR.

HA/TONE J. BORBA A! %TORNEY 7 1941- A. s. BORBA 2,252,161

CLEAR VIEW STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLES Fi led Sept. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

HAN-0N5 J. .BORBA TTORNEY the accompanying drawings.

Patented Aug. 12, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,252,161 7 CLEAR VIEW STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLES Antone S. Borba, Oakland, Calif.

Application September 14, 1938, Serial No. 229,885

2 Claims.

The invention, in general, relates to means for affording clear vision to the rear of vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to a housing ,or shell in combination with the top of a vehicle body, together with an association of mirrors for enabling an operator of a vehicle clearly to observe conditions of the traffic to the rear of the vehicle.

The present invention constitutes an advance over the invention disclosed and claimed by applicant in his Letters Eatent, 2.085.000,

KIA

granted June 29, 1937.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a structure of the indicated nature which is especially suitable for adaptation to passenger motor vehicles and light commercial ill .Flgure 7 is another perspective view of the modified embodiment looking from the rear.

In its preferred form, the clear view structure of my invention preferably comprises, in combination, a vehicle body including a top having an opening therein, a shell secured to said top and surrounding said opening; said shell having ,a front wall sloping toward the front of the vehicle and a rear wall inclined with respect to said top, a window in said rear. wall, a first mirror hin edly mounted within said shell adjacent to said front wall in line with and facing said window, a second mirror hingedly mounted within said shell and depending into said opening from said rear wall; said second mirror facing said first mirror, together with a third mirror hingedly mounted within said vehiclebody and facing said second mirror; all three of said mirrors being 7 adapted to be adjusted relative to one another so that an operator of the vehicle may have a clear view of traflic conditions to the rear of the vehicle through said window in said rear wall.

' Other objects of the invention, together with some of the advantageous features thereof, will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as well as one modification thereof, which are illustrated in It should be understood that I am not to be limited to the precise embodiments of the invention as shown in the drawings. as my invention, as defined in the appended claims, can be embodied in a plurality and variety of forms. 1

Referring to th drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation similar to the view shown in Figure 1,-but omitting one element thereof. v

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspectiv view of a passenger motor vehicle illustrating the installation of the preferred embodiment of th invention.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a modified embodiment of the invention.

Figure 615 a perspective view or the modified embodiment hown in Figure 1.

In Figures 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, I have illustrated the clear view structure of my invention as applied to a passenger motor vehicle, but such type of vehicle is shown for illustrative purposes only since, as indicated above, the invention is readily adaptable to light commercial vehicles as well as trucks.

In accordance with the invention, the top H of a vehicle body I! is provided with an opening l3 which conveniently may be located approximately directly above the seat normally occupied by the operator of the vehicle. In combination with the vehicle body I2, I provide a shell [4 which, in operative position, completely surrounds the openings It in the top H and which preferably is formed with a front wall It that slopes toward the front of the vehicle. Moreover, I preferably form'the rear wall I! of the shell I so that it is inclined with respect to the vehicle top. H, as shown, in order that the addition of the shell I to the vehicle top will not detract from but rather enhance the general streamline motif of the vehicle- The lower perimeter of the shell I is conveniently provided with a flange I! for enabling the attachment of the shell to the top H which can be effected by means of screw-bolts It, as illustrated. In order to effect a water-proof Joint between the shell and the top, I provide a gasket 20 preferably fabricated of sponge rubber, for insertion under-- neath flange ll of the shell.

3 As illustrated particularly in Figures 1 and 2 of invention, rear wall II of the shell I4 is provided with a window 2I which conveniently is protected from rain and the rays of the sun by a shade 22, the latter forming an extension of the top of the shell. The shell I4 may be fabricated of any suitable material, such as metal or relatively hard rubber. Hingedly mounted within the shell upon a bracket 23 secured to the front wall I 6 thereof is a first mirror 24 which is aligned with the window 2| and faces the same so that objects, such as the road and vehicles thereon, to the rear of the vehicle may be observed by looking into mirror 24 which reflects such objects through window 2 I.

Also provided within shell I4 is a second mirror 26 which preferably is hingedly mounted on a bracket 21 depending from the rear wall II of the shell so as to extend into opening I3 of the top II. As illustrated, the second mirror 26 is faced towards the first mirror 24 so that images reflected in mirror 24 will be picked up in the second mirror 26. To complete the combination, a third mirror 28 is provided and hingedly mounted within the vehicle body I2, preferably on a bracket 29 secured to a panel within ,the body and approximately just above the windshield 3! of the vehicle. The third mirror 26 is mounted so as to face the second mirror 26 and it will be clear from a study of the accompanying drawings that all three of the mirrors can be adjusted relative to one another so that images picked up in the first mirror 24 will first be transmitted to the second mirror 26 and reflected in the third mirror 28. The dotted line showing of Figure 1 illustrated the line of vision from the eye of an operator of the vehicle and indicates the manner of observing trafllc conditions to the rear of the vehicle merely by glancing into mirror 28 mounted within the vehicle body. In order to obtain increased vision through the window 2|, the side walls of the shell I4 are flared outwardly adjacent to the rear 'wall I! thereof, as particularly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.

In Figures 5 to 7 of the drawings, I have illustrated a modified embodiment of the clear view structure of my invention as applied to light commercial motor vehicles, such as a taxi-cab embellished with an advertising device. These views clearly depict the ready adaptability of the structure to unique conditions and without alterations to existing commercial display media.

As shown, the top II I of a cab body H2 is provided with an opening H3 which preferably, like the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, is located approximately'directly above the seat normally occupied by the driver of the cab. In combination with the cab body II2, I provide a shell II4 which, in operative position, completely surrounds the opening I I 3 and preferably is formed with a substantially vertical front wall II6 having an opening I I6 therein for the purpose hereinafter stated. The shell H4 is formed with a sloping rear wall I II for conformance with the streamline motif of the vehicle body H2, and the lower perimeter of the shell is provided with a flange I I8 for enabling the attachment of the shell to the top II I in any desired manner, such as by means of screw bolts III. A gasket I20, preferably fabricated of sponge rubber, is inserted between flange H8 of the shell and the top III as a weatherproof means. 7

In accordance with the invention, the rear wall I" of the shell I I4 is provided with a window I2I which is protected from rainand the like, and

the rays of the sun by a shade I22 which conveniently may constitute an extension of the top of the shell. Hingedly mounted within the shell I I4 upon brackets I23 secured to the top thereof, and adjacent to the front wall 5 l 6, is a mirror I24 which is aligned with the window I2! and faces the same. Thus, objects to the rear of the vehicle, such as the road and vehicles thereon, will be reflected in mirror I26. As illustrated particularly in Figure 5 of the drawings, a second mirror I26 is provided in the combination and such mirror may be hingedly fastened on brackets I21 secured to the shell Ii i, as shown, or, if desired, can be hingedly mounted on such brackets secured to the top III of the vehicle body so that the mirror, in either case, depends into the opening II3 of the top, as shown. Mirror I26 is so mounted that it faces mirror I24 and thus will pick up the images reflected therein. I also provide a third mirror I28 which preferably is hingedly mounted within thevehicle body I I2 on a bracket I29 secured to an interior panel of the body adjacent to the windshield I3I of the vehicle. The third mirror I28 is faced toward the second mirror I26 and thus, as is evident, the adjustment of the three mirrors relative to one another will enable the operator of the vehicle to observe traffic conditions to the rear of the vehicle by merely glancing into the third mirror I28, since all images sighted through window I2I in the rear wall of the shell II4 will be reflected in the first mirror I24, picked up in turn by the second mirror I26 and transmitted through opening II3 of the top III and reflected in the third mirror I28, all as indicated by the dotted lines of Figure 5 of the drawings.

In combination with the shell I I4 and mounted on the top I II of the vehicle body in juxtaposition with respect to the shell, I provide a device suitable for display advertising. In the embodiment illustrated, the device preferably comprises a boxlike structure I32 having a generally v-shaped front wall I33 to which is secured a pair of strips I34 and I36 defining panels and having their outer extremities serrated to effect a general wing-shape formation, see Figures 6 and '7 of the drawings. A substantially vertical rear wall I 31 is provided on the box-like structure I32 and an opening I38 formed therein for registry with the opening H5 in the front wall IIG of the shell H4. Rear wall I31 of the structure I32 is detachably fastened by means of screws I39 to the front wall III; of the shell, as illustrated, and the rear wall I31 of the structure preferably is made to a lesser height than the front wall I I 6 of the shell so that the latter presents a panel I40 for the reception of lettering, such as the words "For safety, as indicated in Figure 6 of the drawings.

In order that the advertising device above described may be readily seen after dark, an electrical circuit is provided, not shown, for energizing a lamp I which conveniently is mounted in a socket I42 fastened within the box-like structure I32. Should lamp I become damaged or burn out, the same may readily be replaced with a new lamp as access to the interior of the structure I32 is had through openings H5 and I38 of the shell and structure, respectively, the opening II5 of the shell normally being closed by a closure I43. A second lamp I44 also can be interposed in the electrical circuit and is mounted in a socket I46 secured in the top of the structure I32, as plainly indicated in Figures 5 to 7 of the drawings. As shown, the strips I34 and I36 fastened to the front wall of the box-like structure l32 presents panels for the reception of any desired lettering, such as the word Taxi, or any other symbol or trade-mark. It will be clear from a study of the accompanying drawings that the shell I id of the combination can readily be adapted to any form of advertising structure carried on the top of a vehicle body and can be detachably associated therewith for convenient access thereto or replacement of the same with advertising media of other types.

It is to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded a range of equivalents commensurate in scope with the advance made over the prior art.

I claim:

1. A combined rear .view device and advertising medium for adaptation to motor vehicles comprising the combination of a vehicle body including a top having an opening therein, a shell mounted on said top and enclosing said opening, a front wall on said shell having an opening therein, a sloping rear wall on said shell, a win dow in said rear wall, a first mirror adjustably mounted within said shell and faced toward said window, a second mirror fastened to said rear wall and faced toward said first mirror; said sec-' ond mirror depending into saidvopening in said top, a third mirror adjustably mounted within said vehicle body and faced toward said second mirror, a box-like structure mounted on said vehicle top in juxtaposition to said shell, a rear wall on said structure detachably fastened tothe front wall of said shell; said rear wall of said structure having an opening therein registering with the opening in said front wall of said shell, and a front wall in said structure defining panels for the reception of advertising media or indicia.

2. A clear view structure for vehicles comprising, in combination, a vehicle'body having a top with an opening therein, a mirror adjustably mounted within said body and adapted to be faced toward said' opening, a shell detachably seated upon the upper surface of said top enclosing said opening, a rear wall on said shell sloping toward the rear of the vehicle, a window in said rear wall, a mirror hingedly mounted within said shell and facing said window, a bracket secured the vehicle may observe traffic conditions to the rear of the vehicle by glancing into the mirror mounted within the vehicle.

ANTONE S. BORBA. 

